Poster competition invites NW students to raise awareness through creativity for Radon Action Month

PORTLAND, Ore. KTVZ) – Radon gas may be invisible to the naked eye, but students across the Pacific Northwest are once again invited to illustrate its risk through creative artwork in 2024’s Northwest Radon Poster Contest. The competition is part of January’s National Radon Action Month, giving students a creative outlet to learn about and raise awareness of the potentially harmful gas.

As a naturally occurring radioactive gas, radon can build up in any home, often reaching the highest levels during the winter season. It’s colorless, odorless and tasteless, making testing the only reliable way to detect radon. Nationwide, long-term exposure to the gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.

Students between the ages of 9 and 14 living in Oregon, Washington and Idaho are eligible to participate in the poster contest, as long as they are enrolled in a public, private, territorial, tribal, Department of Defense or home school. They may also qualify through a sponsoring club, such as art, computer, reading, science, or 4-H clubs or scouting organizations. Each student can send only one entry, and the deadline for submission is Wednesday, Feb. 28.

Judges in each state will review posters on the following criteria:

• The content’s accuracy on radon.
• How they visually communicate about the gas.
• Originality.
• Letter sizes and use of contrast.
• Whether there are grammatical errors or typos present.

First, second and third place winners in Oregon will cash prizes in the form of a gift card ($100 for first, $75 for second, and $50 for third place). A regional grand prize winner will receive a $300 gift card. First place winners from each state will be entered in the 2025 National Radon Poster Contest, and their posters may be used for educational outreach on websites, social media and billboards.

The Northwest Radon Poster Contest is sponsored by Oregon Health Authority’s Radon Awareness Program, Washington State Department of Health, Nez Perce Tribe, Spokane Tribe of Indians and the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, in collaboration with the National Radon Program, Conference of Radiation Control Program and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information, contact Oregon’s Radon Awareness Program at radon.program@state.or.us or visit www.healthoregon.org/radon.